Za Lužánkami Stadium

The Za Lužánkami Stadium (Czech: Stadion Za Lužánkami) is a closed stadium in Brno, Czech Republic. It was primarily used for football, and was the home ground of FC Zbrojovka Brno. It held up to 50,000 people.

Za Lužánkami Stadium

Location	Brno, Czech Republic
Coordinates	49°12′46″N 16°36′42″E
Owner	The city of Brno
Capacity	50,000
Field size	105m x 68m
Surface	Grass
Opened	1953 (1953)
Closed	2001
Tenants
FC Zbrojovka Brno (until 2001)

The stadium was constructed between 1949 and 1953 and was the biggest stadium in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s and 1970s.^[1] Za Lužánkami holds the record for the highest attendance in the Czech First League,^[2] set in a match between Brno and Slavia Prague during the 1996–97 Czech First League season. It was closed in 2001 after 1. FC Brno moved to Městský fotbalový stadion Srbská.^[3] The club was forced to move, since the stadium did not meet the football association and FIFA criteria.

Plans for a reconstruction of the stadium, whereby the team of FC Zbrojovka Brno would return, were made,^[4] but in June 2012 it was announced that, due to financial concerns, the proposed reconstruction was on hold.^[5]

The stadium fell into disrepair, with trees and bushes growing within it and homeless people living in the stands.^[1] FC Zbrojovka Brno captain, Petr Švancara, took it upon himself to try and restore the stadium in order that he could play a farewell game at Za Lužánkami.^[1] This effort expanded into a volunteer campaign, back by crowdfunding, to have the stadium ready to host a final game for Švancara. The project was a success, and on 27 June 2015 approximately 35,000 spectators watched two teams composed largely of former FC Zbrojovka Brno players play a match at Za Lužánkami.^[1]

FC Zbrojovka Brno's youth team currently train near the stadium, which is rented out to supporters group Verime Zbrojovce, and plans have been unveiled for a £40 million overhaul.^[1] However, it has since returned to its abandoned and overgrown state.

Panorama of Stadion Za Lužánkami in Brno, Czech Republic. Taken in April 2010.

International matches

Stadion Za Lužánkami has hosted one friendly match of the Czech Republic national football team

Czech Republic  v  Finland

8 March 1995 International Friendly	Czech Republic	4–1	Finland	Brno, Czech Republic
Match 517/9	Berger 8' (pen.), 45' Samec 56', 88'	Report	Hjelm 71'	Stadium: Za Lužánkami Stadium Attendance: 7,745 Referee: Benedik (Slovakia)

References

1. Ames, Nick; Petrák, Michal. "Zbrojovka Brno fans and the remarkable rebuilding of their Za Luzankami stadium". the Guardian. Retrieved 2015-09-08.
2. "Brno chce zachránit stadion Za Lužánkami". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). 15 August 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
3. Krutil, Robin; Taušová, Zuzana (5 January 2013). "Fanoušci Zbrojovky oslaví století klubu u ruiny stadionu za Lužánkami". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). Retrieved 6 January 2013.
4. Kubát, Vojtěch (18 August 2011). "Druhý díl přehledu nových fotbalových stadionů. Podívejte se na pět projektů z nižších soutěží". Hospodářské noviny (in Czech). Retrieved 1 December 2012.
5. Kolínková, Eliška (7 June 2012). "Zbrojovka je v lize a Brnu svitla naděje ve sporu o stadion za Lužánkami". Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). Retrieved 1 December 2012.